Beyond the Shadows
by ohsnapitzemma
Summary: Julia returns for Barnabas Collins, her murderer. Barnalia. Dark Shadows 2012
1. Awake

Julia's eyes snapped open under the water. Immediately she wondered where she was and how she had gotten there, and began an attempt to wiggle her way out of the trap that she was tangled in. On the shore, however, Barnabas Collins and his newly vampire girlfriend began walking towards the dilapidated mansion that was once their home. He had no idea that Julia's experiment had worked and taking his blood had turned her into a vampire as she had planned. She began to bite the rope with her abnormally sharp teeth, slowly tearing away at the fabric that had ensnared her. She hadn't even realized until then that she was fully capable of breathing underwater. She began to make her way to the surface, her bright red hair flowing insanely in front of her face obscuring her view but nothing was stopping her from resurfacing to find Barnabas.

As Julia reached the surface of the water, she discovered that the water that she had been comatose in was freezing cold, and the air above was even colder. She took a deep breath of the crisp air and began swimming back to the shore, determined. Julia didn't know why she wanted to find Barnabas so badly, was it to get angry at him, or was it to tell him how she had always felt. _I can't,_ Julia thought, picturing Victoria, _although he really only 'loves' her because she looks like Josette. _She had recalled hearing the name slip from Barnabas' pale lips several times, for example accidentally calling Vicky Josette or times when he slept with his door ajar and Julia was heading to the kitchen for a midnight drink. _It's not like I'm nosy, he talks in his sleep, not my fault, _Julia began swimming faster, now eager to see Barnabas.

After a long swim back, she finally reached the shore, dripping wet and thirsty. "I'm not going to turn into a blood-sucker like Barnabas is," Julia muttered, shivering "I'll just head to the bar." Julia walked through Collinsport barefoot and approached the bar. Opening the door, she was greeted with warm air and the smell of liquor. She walked to the bartender and ordered, sitting down in a bar stool and resting her head in her hands, her fire-red hair still dripping. After several drinks she began her walk back to her home.

It was destroyed completely. Julia looked around in astonishment, wondering what had happened to the once beautiful Victorian home. Her eyes began to water as she was just realizing how long she had actually been gone. Making her way up the steps, Julia paused at the door taking a deep breath, doubtful thoughts scattered though her mind. _What if they don't want me here anymore, what if I'm no longer welcome, I was basically family but look at me now I'm a monster. _Tears began to form in Julia's eyes, she opened the doors with hopes that the people she thought of as her own family would welcome her back with open arms.

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**Sorry it's short, but first chapter:)**


	2. Hello, Barnabas

The door creaked open slowly and Julia's head turned, scanning the house to find any form of life that remained at the dilapidated structure that was once their home.

"Hello?" Julia called hoping, no, praying for an answer. "Hellooo? Is there anyone home?"

"They're gone, Doctor." Julia jumped at the sound of the old voice, echoing from behind her. "In fact long gone. I'm sorry, dear."

"Mrs. Johnson, you scared me. Do you know where they went?" The tears that were already formed in Julia's eyes are now on the verge of spilling out.

"I'm afraid not." Mrs. Johnson frowned and walked away.

They can be anywhere in Maine by now, Julia thought, her bare feet pacing the tile floor of the mansion's entrance. I'd better start now. A sudden thought of her room flashed into Julia's mind, she made her way to the stairs, practically sprinting at the thought that her room may still be in tact so long as Barnabas didn't go near it after the day he killed her. She reached the door that led to her room. Looking down at the brass doorknob, Julia let out a small sigh. She closed her eyes and raised her hand, leaving it to dangle before the doorknob nervous of what she may find in the room that was once hers she wrapped her still shrivled fingers around the doorknob and opened it. The door swung open but Julia did not see what sadness plagued her room just yet because she was still too nervous to open her eyes. After about a minute and a half of long, deep breaths and leaning her right arm on the door frame, Julia opened her eyes.

It was practically untouched, obviously the madness remained only on the first floor. Smiling, she made her way to the wardrobe towering next to the king sized bed. It really was a luxury, Julia thought whilst opening the wardrobe door, living here. She pulled out a black dress and a polka dot collared shirt along with white tights and black shoes and lies everything on her bed. Julia didn't bother looking at the outfit to make sure it looked nice, she simply attempted to peel off the dress that was still a bit damp from earlier and walked to her bathroom to get cleaned up.

Upon getting out of the warm shower, Julia still smelled of liquor but, thinking of far more important things that she should be worrying about at this particular moment in her now eternal life, resumed getting changed into her clean clothes. Walking over to her desk, Julia fixed her tights, opened her top right drawer containing her makeup and looked up at the mirror to see nothing. "Figures." She muttered and applied her makeup blindly, hoping for the best.

As she walked down the stairs to the main entrance of the failing mansion, she looks around but does not find Mrs. Johnson anywhere and tells herself that even a person as old and crazy as her would have left this place. Julia reaches and opens the large door, stepping out into sunlight for the first time. It feels as if every exposed piece of skin has fallen asleep like when one keeps their legs crossed for too long, but Julia doesn't mind she is determined to find her murderer.

Searching for any signs of what she once thought of as a family, Julia stumbles upon a small mix between a cottage and a small castle. _Why not, _Julia thinks opening the door to the cottage overlooking the crashing waves that she was looking up to only hours ago and lets out a small sigh. The door creeks open and she finds Carolyn lounging on a dusty couch listening to her record player that must have survived the wreckage and David sitting on the floor attempting to shuffle a deck of cards. Carolyn is the first to notice the the redheaded woman that they had assumed dead almost 3 weeks ago and jumps from the couch to greet her, a cloud of dust following. "Julia!" Davids attention focusing from the deck of cards to the woman in the doorway who is now receiving one of Carolyn's rare hugs.

"Oh my gosh, Julia, where have you been? We were getting worried." Davids arms wrap themselves around her ribs as he is not as tall as his cousin, tears coming to her eyes as she removes one arm from Carolyn to wrap around the boy.

"I thought I was the only one who thought of us as a, sort of, family." Julia gives a breathy laugh holding back tears, not realizing until now how much she had missed the children. "David you've grown. Carolyn, so have you. Okay now stop I feel to short."

The children laugh slowly letting go of the doctor, when another door creeks open and Elizabeth steps out smiling, approaching her to give her a small hug. "Hello, Julia. Welcome back." Barnabas stands watching them from a doorway trying to be unnoticeable while he wonders how it is possible that Julia is back. He'd killed her, after all. Julia looks at the pale figure lurking in the doorway. "Hello, Barnabas."

"Hello," Barnabas mumbles in astonishment. "Julia."


	3. Just Let Go

Julia slowly had the children release her and she began to make her way to the room that Barnabas resided in. Memories of the day he killed her rushing into her head, she wonders what to say to him. She sees all of the ways that this could end up as she makes her way through the small cabin. _Death or love, _Julia thinks. _And death already happened so I'm guessing love-_ She stops the thought when she sees Vicky emerge from another room and head for the kitchen area for some water. Julia's breath quickens. _Okay, now it's narrowed down to death or death. _She looks down at her shoes and realizes how slowly she is actually walking so she looks up and walks faster, all while smiling at Barnabas, who still stands in the doorway. Barnabas steps aside allowing Julia to enter the small room.

Shutting the door, Barnabas turns to look at Julia who is examining the room, her back to him. She notices that there is only a bed, a small dresser, a mirror hanging on the wall, and a side table holding a glass of water. She turns to look at Barnabas, who is already staring at her with a blank expression.

"Look, I'm sorry for taking your blood. I was lying to you and to everyone else but I didn't want to grow old. I didn't want to die alone." Julia said, tears forming in her eyes at the last sentence. _Stay strong, Julia, don't mess up now. _"I figured that you wouldn't notice me unless I was immortal with you. If I was the only other one with you for the rest of eternity then you would have to choose me, right?"

"My dearest apologies, madam, but I will never love any woman other than Victoria." Barnabas looks down at the floor, feeling uncomfortable in his current situation.

"Oh please, Barnabas. Just save it. You only love little Vicky because she looks like Josette." Julia says, her voice growing angrier making Barnabas pick up his head to look at her. He opens his mouth to defend himself but she talks before he can, leaving him in disbelief. "Really we all know it. I know it, you know it, for God's sake, David knows it! And, honestly, I'm sick of all of this Vicky stuff."

"Dr. Hoffman, it offends me that you do not believe that Victoria is, in fact, a reincarnated version of Josette. And I am truly sorry to hear that you do not like the fact that we are together, which makes it hard for me to tell you that she is too a vampire now. You lied to me, madam, and that is by far the worst crime a human being can commit."

"Worse than murder?" Julia narrows her eyes and steps towards Barnabas, who is now walking backwards to the door. "I'm truly sorry to tell you this, but your precious Victoria is not the only vampire. The transfusion worked. We're exactly the same now. Vicky or not, I love you, Barnabas Collins. And no one can stop that. Not even you."

His back was against the door. Julia had him pinned to the wall, the exact opposite of their last encounter when her back was to the wall. Her narrowed, brown eyes were locked on his which were filled with something she had never seen in his eyes before. Fear. She grinned as she put her hands on the walls on either side of him, just the way he had her in her laboratory the day he killed her. Julia leans in and kisses Barnabas, surprising him a bit. He begins to struggle and soon gives up. A loud knocking coming from behind Barnabas causes Julia to jump back and Barnabas opens the door.

"The construction workers want to see you over at the house, Barnabas. I'll drive you if you want." Elizabeth says, looking at the two with suspicion.

"I believe Dr. Hoffman would be willing to drive me, thank you anyway, Elizabeth." Barnabas answers, looking at Julia who is looking down at her chipped pink nail polish, trying to avoid eye contact. Barnabas nods at Elizabeth and smiles, closing the door and turning to Julia.

"I still haven't..." Julia clears her throat. "Um, killed anyone."

"You must be terribly thirsty, madam."

"Please, for the love of god, call me Julia, would you? And, well, just a bit. It's inhumane. I'll stick to whiskey, thanks." Julia smiles up at Barnabas. "I'm not mad at you, Barnabas. Not anymore, at least. I was pretty angry when I woke up to see a fish staring at me, though."

They both laugh for a moment. They finally reached an understanding. Now if only he would let go of Vicky.

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A/N: okay sorry about the short chapters, guys. School and such:( I promise I'll post as much as I possibly can, though, lovelies:3 And thank you for the wonderful reviews:) It really means a lot that you guys are really paying attention lol


	4. Comfortable?

Elizabeth has been, yet again, kind enough to give Julia a place to stay. Even if it is just a small cabin, Julia is always so grateful for all that her friend does for her. The only downside is that she has to stay on the small, dusty couch. She once got up for a drink at around midnight and a spring got stuck to her nightgown, luckily no one was there to see, but she was still embarrassed as well as angry. After all, it was her favorite one, lime green with black lace at the edges that graze her knee and cap sleeves. She got it a few months ago and the first time she had worn it was the night Barnabas had called her Julia for the first time. Not "Madam" or "Doctor Hoffman".

Julia has to buy her own alcohol because Elizabeth doesn't want her drunk around the children, as she cannot sit in her room and drink anymore. Julia doesn't have much money so she buys as much as she can get when she has money. She stashes most of it under her couch, and keeps the rest in the fridge.

She had just gotten back from the mansion, it was around 10:45 when Julia decided to go take a bath and change into her pajamas. After downing a small glass of gin, she pulled her pajamas out of her small suitcase and walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"What?" Carolyn's voice called from the other side of the door.

"Oh, Carolyn, will you be long? I need to get cleaned up for bed." Julia replied, leaning on the door frame, then turning to rest her back on the wall.

"Uh, depends on what you call 'long'." Julia sighed when she heard the shower start, sliding her back down the wall and burying her face in her knees, on the verge of drifting off into a deep sleep right there on the dusty, wood floor.

"Ah, Julia, there you are." Barnabas' voice caused Julia's head to shoot up, and she was suddenly wide awake.

"Oh, yeah. Just waiting for the bathroom." Barnabas bowed his head in understanding.

"You seemed to have left your jacket in Victoria's car." He lowers to Julia's level on the floor until he is kneeling in front of her and he takes the balled up nightgown out of her hands to wrap her jacket over her shoulders when small flask and a pair of red lace panties that were wrapped in the nightgown fall to the floor. Julia's face turns bright red and she lets out a mix between a laugh and a sigh. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Madam."

"Nah, it's okay." They both try to pick up the fallen items when their hands meet and they look up at each other. Barnabas begins to lean in, ready to kiss her.

"Wooow, that's embarrassing, Julia." Carolyn laughs, standing above them, her blonde hair wet from the shower. At this point, both of their faces are red. Carolyn walks into the room she shares with her mother and shuts the door, still laughing.

"Ha, well it probably shouldn't have happened anyways." Julia says, standing up to walk into the safety of the bathroom.

"Julia? I feel so awful that you have to sleep on that couch, if you would like, you can rest in my room. The bed is far too big for only myself, anyway." Barnabas' offer stops Julia dead in her tracks.

"That's very kind of you, Barnabas, it really is. But are you comfortable sharing a bed with me, what with your relationship with Vicky?" Julia doesn't turn around, she only stares down at her feet which lack shoes but are covered by tights.

"I'm sure if Victoria was in a similar situation she would understand. It isn't like we will be doing anything that we would regret, we both have far too much respect for each other. Correct?"

"Yeah. Correct. Okay, sure Barnabas." She turns to look him in the eyes and smile. "Thank you."

Julia shuts the bathroom door and falls back against it, letting out a heavy sigh. In his room, Barnabas does the same thing, hoping he was right about only resting.

Barnabas is already laying down in his bed when Julia walked in. Her red hair was soaking wet as well as the back of the black fabric of her nightgown, the silk and lace slightly stuck to her skin. She pulled down the sheets of Barnabas' bed and climbed in, a black strap sliding down her shoulder. Barnabas shifted slightly and Julia decided that he was, in fact, asleep. Barnabas was facing the wall, so naturally, Julia faced the other way and took another few minutes to adjust to the bed.

"Comfortable yet?" Barnabas whispered over his shoulder, startling Julia.

"Oh, uh, yeah." Julia let out a small giggle and pulled the covers up to her neck, shivering. The one thing she hated about Maine- the winter months. It's January now and she can't be any colder than she is right now. "Barnabas?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if, um, I'm really cold right now and uh-" Julia is cut off by the sudden movement and Barnabas' hand resting on her shoulder.

"Are you warmer now?"

"Yes, thank you." At least three minutes later, Barnabas was asleep. Ten minutes after that, his arm slipped around her waist. Only two minutes after that, Julia was also asleep. They were both comfortable.


	5. I Hope You're Happy

Julia wakes up at around 9:30, still in Barnabas' arms. She assumes he's still asleep, as it is a Saturday and usually the day the whole family sleeps in, and closes her eyes again. She is unable to fall back asleep, but she's just comfortable laying there with him.

"Good morning, Julia." Julia's eyes open slowly.

"Morning, Barnabas," She finally speaks up "Didn't know you were up yet."

"Yes I thought you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you." Barnabas whispers, his forehead buried in her wild, red hair.

"Can we just, just lay here for a while?" Julia sighs, smiling.

"If you would like to, yes." Barnabas pulls her closer to him. "We can lay here for however long you would like, madam."

"I told you, Barnabas, call me Julia." Julia laughs. "Okay?"

"If that is what you wish, Julia, I will." They both cease talking for a good 20 minutes, just laying peacefully together.

"See, Barnabas. I told you we wouldn't do anything we would end up regretting." Julia says, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I suppose we didn't." Barnabas says surprised that they actually hadn't. "That was not meant to offend you in any way, Julia. I didn't mean it to be offensive."

Julia turns over to face Barnabas, their faces far too close together. "I know." Julia says, kissing Barnabas' pale cheek. "I know, you're a good man. You wouldn't offend anyone." Suddenly, the small space between the two is closed, their lip meet and Barnabas doesn't seem to mind. _Vicky..._ Julia thinks to herself, smiling against his lips. She moves herself so that she is on top of Barnabas, kissing him. _This is actually going to happen, _they both think, neither have any signs of regret or despair. They don't leave the room until noon. Julia needs two new nightgowns now.

The two leave the room, making their way to the small kitchen. Everyone is still asleep or at least in their rooms. Julia sits in one of the chairs that Elizabeth had taken from the side of the road on their way to the temporary home, she wears a fuzzy pink robe she found abandoned in the bathroom discarded by Carolyn because she "hates pink" now and a pair of wool socks she borrowed from Barnabas because her feet were cold. Barnabas, in most of his pajamas, makes coffee for the two.

"Julia, you do realize you will have to drink blood sometime." Barnabas says, pulling the milk out of the refrigerator.

"Yeah, but not yet. Its, its unnatural. Drinking a human's blood." Julia takes a sip of her coffee, burning her tongue a bit but ignoring it. "Gross, you know?"

"No, I disagree, I have never thought of drinking blood as 'gross'." Julia laughs, pushing herself out of the chair and walking to him as he stands at the counter drinking his coffee.

"Oh, you know what I mean." Julia gets closer and closer to Barnabas until the front door creaks open and Julia jumps back.

"Good afternoon, Barnabas." Vicky says as she hangs her jacket on a nail in the wall and strides to the kitchen. "Julia."

"Hello, Vicky." Julia says. "I'm gonna go get ready and take the kids out for a while. Hate to see them cooped up like this."

"Yes, say hello to them for me, would you?" She doesn't even take her eyes off Barnabas when she speaks to Julia.

"Yeah." Julia grabs an older green dress from her bag and walks towards the bathroom. "I'll tell them." She closes the bathroom door, but realizes she forgot her makeup bag and hair brush so opens the door again. "You know, Vicky, you can say hello to the kids whenever you like if you were here more often. Just putting it out there, alright?"

"Thank you, Julia. That would be fun if I moved in with all of you. We'll be sort of a family again. I miss that." Vicky looks straight at Julia, shooting her a look of both pure and utter disgust as well as gratitude. "That's a great idea, I'll talk to Elizabeth later about it."

Julia grabs her things and returns to the bathroom, regretting everything she just said.

_Vicky's going to move in now. You just slept with Barnabas and now his girlfriend is moving in with you. Look what you've done, you ruined your chances again Julia. I hope you're happy._


End file.
